Overactive policing and our political culture
Dr. Syed Nesar Ahmad Rumy :
28 October might be termed as a black day of history of political process in Bangladesh. Seventeen years back on this day some people were killed brutally on the street of Dhaka.
Same incidents happened in the streets of Dhaka on this day after seventeen years.
The history of Bangladesh political culture and politics is full of reciprocal distrust.
In these two events some people were killed brutally. And the aftereffect of police actions has become a sign of ominous future of Bangladesh politics.
Observing all these events some of us made soliloquy; won’t we be changed ever?
Before analyzing the whole situation, let us examine the role of law enforcers deployed in the different points of city and as well as the narratives/citations of the leaders of party in power and also opposition on the street.
One can agree or disagree but it is the reality BNP is the main opposition party in Bangladesh and the ruling party also thinks so.
The official opposition in the parliament does not have significant strengths and influence among the people of Bangladesh.
Beyond the periphery it seems they are presently surviving in the process of Bangladesh politics upon the grace of the ruling party.
In fact, Jatio Party has no attraction among the youngsters of Bangladesh.
They are now carrying over only the legacies of Gen. Ershad. And it also seems JP is being used as the hands of ruling party to fulfill the requirements of party in power.
The inner conflicts and political stand of JP do not make any major factor in Bangladesh politics.
Their strength and activities are only limited in some pocket areas of North Bengal, Mymenshing and Sylhet areas.
So people do not get any decisive stand from them on present political crisis prevailing in Bangladesh.
Let us now analyze the situations prior and after incidents of October 28, 2023 and in particular on the very day.
BNP declared to stage a grand rally in front of Nayapaltan party office on 18th October. And they also declared that the schedule of their present antigovernment movement would be declared on that day.
After BNP’s declaration the ruling party also declared their ‘shanti shomabesh’ (peace demonstration) on the north gate of Baitul Mukarram, the national mosque.
The senior leaders of ruling party called upon their party activists to be prepared and vigilant for any untoward happenings created by BNP.
At the same time the senior leaders of BNP told to their activists that this time they would not tolerate any provocations and attacks. With these stands, both parties got prepared to hold their rallies successful.
From the law-enforcers’ end the preparation of maintaining peaceful situation was going on.
Accordingly, considering prevailing situation, they allowed both parties to hold their rallies at their place of likings.
Often DMP top brass underscored the needs of maintaining law and order by any cost. But it seemed, to many of us, that it was over reactive attitude.
Indeed, it was not required. In the DMP act and Cr. Pc everything is clear when police can. But most important thing is correct apprehension of would-be events.
Some officers of law enforcing agency talked much to the press as if they are there to undermine the legal political parties in the country which command a respect from a big portion of population in the country.
The statement they delivered created panic to the general public. If they have something to say they could tell that to their troops. As a result of this situation a fearful situation created.
Both the rallies of the ruling party and the BNP started after mid-day of 28 October. People and activists of both the parties started gathering to their respective venues.
It appeared law enforcers kept them vigilant all over the city of Dhaka and they set up checkpoints in different places in the city and entry points of the city so that no one can carry any sticks and lathi with them.
Meetings started nicely. Everything was going fine. As reported in different news media some activists of ruling party from Gazipur were going to their venue chanting slogans through the Kakrail area adjacent to the residence of Honorable Chief Justice. In this situation a chaos started.
Before the start of arson by the unidentified persons to the vehicles carrying activists of ruling party, members of law enforcing agency could divert those vehicles to the alternative ways and the options was there. But it did not happen.
So a question appears in the mind of many of us about the purpose of policing in that particular place. In fact, this was the turning point.
Initially, it was a small incident but later it turned into a big and uncontrollable incident.
So, role of law enforcers deployed in that point created many questions:
1. Why law enforcers could not stop chaos on the spot before escalation of the incident?
2. Why law enforcers did not divert the vehicles of the ruling party activists to the other road as there was options?
3. Why law enforcers did not set up barricade at Kakrail for not escalating the incident to the center point of BNP’s rally.
Analyzing the situation, it seems the forces deployed there were more inclined to show their strength using sound grenades and teargas.
As a result, the situation got out of control. Ultimately it spread to the BNP’s venue. So, lack of presence of mind and appropriate prudence from the law enforcers’ end, a peaceful ongoing public rally turned dispersed by using sound grenades and teargas.
It was also reported that two ambulances of central police hospital were burnt down and a cop and an activist of opposition were killed brutally.
All those incidents might not happen if actions of law enforcers at the Kakrail point started prudently.
Maybe the incident of cop killing, killing of opposition activist and burnt down of ambulances might be the conjugation of incident happened at Kakrail.
After 28 October, a massive spree of arrest of opposition leaders and workers are going on. Already top leaders of BNP and its front organizations have been arrested and put into the prisons.
A huge number of opposition activists are in prisons now and it is the after effect of incident of 28 October. In this time EC is taking all-out preparations to hold general election in the first half of January next.
So in this situation, interest articulation from all the stakeholders in our political system does not work properly.
Whatever the facts remain, maybe EC will hold the general election but in this unnatural situation that must not be the end of this present crisis.
Keeping major oppositions outside the political process cannot be a solution and that is not the ideal situation. People of Bangladesh and our thriving economy will suffer endlessly if this situation prevails indefinitely. We hope good senses will work in the mind of the leaders of the both the sides and Bangladesh will overcome this unbearable situation in the days to come.
(The writer is a contributor to
The New Nation)
